Department · Parenting & Family

Parenting & Family

Articles and guides from the parenting & family desk, written and edited by women who've been there. 41 pieces published, more on the way.

41 articles in this department

A mother and father sit across an office table from a mediator, talking through a parenting plan in a custody mediation session.

Custody Mediation: What to Expect and How to Prepare

Custody mediation, explained for moms: how long it takes, what to bring, what not to say, abuse protections and what happens if you cannot agree.

Read full article

A single mother lies on the bed beside her young daughter, reading a picture book together before bedtime

Parenting & Family

Single Mother Parenting: What Research Says Helps Kids

Single mother parenting is not what holds kids back. Research points to warmth, a calm home, steady routines and a mom whose own health is cared for.

October 7, 202614 min read, SubhaRead more

A smiling single mother sits on the couch at home next to her young son, both looking at the camera

Parenting & Family

How Child Support Works in Texas (2026): Rates, Cap, Rules

Texas child support is 20% of the paying parent's net resources for one child, up to an $11,700 cap. How to open a case, get paid and enforce an order.

October 6, 202613 min read, SubhaRead more

A mother says goodbye to her son outside school, backpack on, the everyday handover a shared schedule creates

Parenting & Family

50/50 Custody Schedules: Which One Fits, and Why

Four rotations cover almost every 50/50 custody schedule. Age and handover count decide which one works. Census data on who custodial parents really are.

August 17, 202612 min read, SubhaRead more

A mother and her young son sit facing each other on the couch, talking before a new partner moves in

Parenting & Family

Step Parenting as a Single Mom: Why Most Advice Misses You

A mother plus a stepparent is the most common blended family at 33%. What step parenting really looks like when you are the single mom bringing him in.

August 17, 202612 min read, SubhaRead more

A daughter stands and gestures at her seated mother across a glass table, the kind of sudden hostility alienated mothers describe

Parenting & Family

Parental Alienation Against Mothers: What Courts Get Wrong

Mothers and fathers are equally likely to be targets of parental alienation. When a mother alleges abuse and a father cross-claims, her custody loss doubles.

August 10, 202612 min read, SubhaRead more

A mother sits beside a lake with her two young sons leaning into her, the kind of settled single household a parallel parenting plan is built to protect.

Parenting & Family

How Parallel Parenting Works With a Hostile Ex

Parallel parenting means two separate homes and near zero contact. With 18.6 million US kids in one-parent homes, here is when courts order it and why.

August 7, 202611 min read, SubhaRead more

Calculator, coins, and a notebook on a desk, the basic stack of monthly money tracking that the budget apps below replace and improve.

Parenting & Family

Best Budget Apps for Single Moms (2026): 7 Tools That Actually Work

7 budget apps and tools for single moms in 2026, ranked by fit for irregular income and co-parenting expenses. Free options that replaced Mint, plus one paid pick worth $14.99/mo for variable income.

May 30, 20269 min read, SubhaRead more

A single mom hugs her two daughters outdoors in a sunny park during the Memorial Day weekend

Parenting & Family

Memorial Day Activities for Single Moms: 13 Free and Low-Cost Family Plans

13 free and under-$20 Memorial Day activities for single-mom families, picnics, parades, parks, and the National Moment of Remembrance. The no-budget version of the long weekend.

May 26, 20268 min read, SubhaRead more

A mother and daughter smiling at each other across a sunlit kitchen table, sharing breakfast.

Parenting & Family

Mother's Day for Single Moms: How to Make It Yours

NRF finds 84% of US adults celebrate Mother's Day. Here is how to plan a Mother's Day for single moms, whether you are solo, co-parenting, or kids away.

May 2, 202610 min read, SubhaRead more

Parenting & Family

Custody Mediation: What to Expect and How to Prepare

Single Mother Parenting: What Research Says Helps Kids

How Child Support Works in Texas (2026): Rates, Cap, Rules

50/50 Custody Schedules: Which One Fits, and Why

Step Parenting as a Single Mom: Why Most Advice Misses You

Parental Alienation Against Mothers: What Courts Get Wrong

How Parallel Parenting Works With a Hostile Ex

Best Budget Apps for Single Moms (2026): 7 Tools That Actually Work

Memorial Day Activities for Single Moms: 13 Free and Low-Cost Family Plans

Mother's Day for Single Moms: How to Make It Yours

One short read,every Sunday at 6am.

One short read,
every Sunday at 6am.